Boiler-arch construction.



E. P. STEVENS.

BOILER ARCH CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2a, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914.

LEUSAQ'Y 272062224 07"! i/zao/z/ P 15664 6/7/6 a v a f r.

,f K/Z @TAEd ATENT FIG.

ENOCH P. STEVENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T LOCQMOTIVE ARCH BRICK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

OILER-Anon CONSTRUCTION.

Liltl Atd't.

T 0 all whom it may concern) Be it known thatI, ENocn I. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at ,lhicago, in the county of Cook andfitate of Illinois, have, invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Aid Gon structions, of whichthe following is a spfeclfication.

My invention relates V structions, and refers particularly, although not exclusively, 'to' improvements in fire brick arches for use in locomotive fire boxes It is well known that fire brick arches have been commonly employed in locomotive fire boxes, these arches being supported by a plurality (generally four of water-cooled arch tubes. These ar'chfiubes support one or more longitudinal rowsof bricks, and in many types of arches two rpws of side brrcks are employed, these S1dQ"b1'1Cl(-S extendlng from the outer arch tubesto'theside. sheets of the fire box.

In the constructions heretofore employed great difliculty has been experienced in connection with the proper support of the side bricks. It has been common practice to employ side bricks which slope upwardly from the outer arch tubes to the side sheets, these bricks, of course, being wider than the shortest distance between the outer arch tubes and the side sheets so that in their upwardly-sloping positions the side bricks are prevented from falling down onto the bed of fuel. The outer sides of have usually been constructed with plain faces which engage the side sheets; or, in

certain cases the side bricks have been a that by constructing each of these b k formed with a c'om-paratively sharp edge to engage the side sheets. It Wlll now be evident that with the prior constructions which I I have described if the distance between one of the outer arch tubes and the acent side f sheet is increased, the side brick W-lll be? turned into a plane more nearly approachthe horizontal, the side brick acting in i l invention, and 1n which th nature of a wedge between the arch tube and the side sheet. It now by reason of the expansion or contraction of the side sheet or arch tube the distance between the arch tube and side sheet tends to decrease, the side brick prevents such a movement and holds the respective parts in the positions which they have assumed and afi'ords no opportunity for them to return to their original positions. While the configuration Specification of Letters Patent.

, I 1 to boiler arch conthe side bricks Patented July 314i, 1914i.

' Application filed June 28,1913. Serial No. 776,234,

of the side bricks always allows the distance between the outer arch tubes and the side sheets to be increased, it does not allow this distance to be decreased. T his charactcristic of the side bricks of the prior art is of great disadvantage, since the relations of the arch tubes, side sheets and arch should ,be such that when, on account of varying heat conditions, there is expansion or contraction of the parts a perfect adjustment should take place.

It is one of the objects of my invention to overcome the objections which have been pointed out above, and this I accomplish by constructing the outer side of the side bricks with a curved surface which engages the side sheets. The side bricks as a whole are also preferably slightly curved, and the point of engagement of each side brick with aside sheet is at a somewhat higher level than the point of engagement of the inner side of the side brick with one of the outer arch tubes. By making the outer sides of the side bricks curved in the manner which I have outlined, the side bricks at all times adjust themselves to the variations of the arch tubes and side sheets. If the distance between the outer arch tubes and the side sheets increases, the side bricks assume a more nearly horizontal position, while if this distance decreases the side bricks, by reason of their curved outer sides, readily move upwardly and assume a more nearly vertical position.

' A further object of my invention resides in the construction of the bricks used in the main portion of the arch. I have found in a slightly arched form, the strength of the bricks isgreatly increased, with resulting longer life.

These and other advantages of my invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which Show a preferred embodiment of my Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of a locomotive fire box showing the arch in position on the arch tubes; Fig. 2 is .a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the side bricks.

The locomotive fire box, represented as a whole by 10, is provided at its rear with the rear water leg 11 and at its front portion with the frontwater leg 12. Extending between the water legs 11 and 12 are the arch tubes 13. These arch tubes serve to support the brick arch, which, as shown in the drawings, is composed of a main portion consisting of three longitudinal rows of main bricks 14l,and side bricks 15 extending from the outer arch tubes 13 to the side sheets 16 of the fire box 10. The bricks 1-t are preferably slightly arched, as best shown in Fig.- 2, and are provided at their edges with fillets 17, which fit the arch tubes 13 so that each of the bricks 14 projects downward slightly between the arch tubes 13.

At the front end of the arch the spacing bricks 18, of well known construction, are employed to prevent the bricks 14 and 15 of the arch proper from coming in contact with the wall of the water leg 12. The use of these spacing bricks constitutes no part of my invention.

Each of the side bricks 15 is provided on its inner edge with a groove 19, which fits one of the outer arch tubes 13. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner side of each side brick. 15 is preferably thicker than the outer side thereof. The outer side of each of the bricks 15 is provided with a curved surface 20 adapted to engage the side sheet 16. Each brick 15 also preferably is curved from its inner side to ts outer side, the convexltyof this curve being downward, and the brick also preferably tapers from its inner side to its outer side so that the center of gravity of the brick will be toward the arch tube 13 rather than toward the side sheet 16.

It will be evident that with the construction of side brick which I have described the outer side of each brick will rise or descend automatically, according to the distance between the outer arch tube 13 and the side sheet 16, without danger of rigidly holding these parts in abnormal positions, which they may at times assume by reason of expansion and contraction caused by varying heat conditions.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the'art that changes could be made in the detailed construction of the parts which I have described without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A boiler arch construction, comprising, in combination with a fire box having a plurality of arch tubes extending longitudinally therethrough, an arch having its main portion supported by said tubes, and a side brick supported by one of the outer arch tubes and having a rounded outer side resting against the side sheet of the fire box, said side brick being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the adjacent arch tube,

whereby said side brick adjusts itself to variations in the distance between said outer tube and said side sheet, substantially as described.

2. A boiler arch construction, comprising, in combination with a fire box having a plurality of arch tubes extending longitudinally thereth'rough, an arch having its main portion supported by said tubes, said main portion comprising a plurality of upwardlyarched bricks, and a side brick supported 4 by one of the outer arch tubes and having a rounded outer surface resting against the side sheet of the fire box, said side brick being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the adjacent arch tube, whereby said side brick adjusts itself to variations in the distance between said outer tube and said side sheet, substantially as described.

3. A side brick for boiler arches, having a curved surface at one side for engaging a fire box side sheet and formed at its opposite side to be supported on an arch tube, whereby when the brick is supported in inclined position with one side resting against an arch tube and its curved surface resting against said side sheet said brick will adjust itself to variations in the distancebetween said side sheet and said arch tube, substantially as described.

4:, A side brick for boiler arches,--having a curved side for engaging a fire box side sheet, and a grooved side for engaging an archtube, said brick being inclined to the vertical when supported by an arch tube and a side wall of a firebox, whereby when the brick is supported by said arch tube and side sheet the brick will adjust itself to variations in the distance between the side sheet and arch tube by changing its angle of inclination; substantially as described.

5. A side brick for boiler arches, comprising a curved body portion, a curved surface for engaging a fire box side sheet, and a 'rooved side for en a in an arch tube said brick being inclined to the vertical when supported by an arch tube and a side wall of a firebox, whereby when the brick is supported by said arch tube and side sheet the brick will adjust itself to variations in the distance between the side sheet and arch tube by changing its angle of inclination, substantially as described.

6. A side brick for boiler arches, said brick having a curved side for engaging a fire box side sheet, and a grooved side for engaging an arch tube,,said brick tapering from said grooved side to said curved side, said brick being ;inclined to the vertical when supported fby an archtube and a side wall of a. firebox, whereby when the brick is supported by an arch tube and side sheet its center of ravity will lOBrClOSGI' to the arch tubechanging its angle of inclination, substanis supported in position by an arch tube and tially as described. side sheet its center of gravity will be closer 7. A side brick for boiler arches, said to the arch tube than to the side sheet and brick having a curved side for engaging a the brick will adjust itself to variationsdn 5 5 fire box side sheet, a grooved side for enthe distance between said side sheet and arch gaging an arch tube and a body portion tube by changin its angle of inclination, tapering and curved from the side adapted substantially as escribed.

to engage the arch tube to the curved side, ENOGI-I P. STEVENS. said brick being inclined to the vertical Witnesses: 10 when supported by an arch tube and a side HENRY M. HUXLEY,

wall of a firebox, whereby when the brick L. E. HANNEN. 

